Our Panelists
Join our panelists as they discuss and share their experiences relevant to our theme of "The New Prosperity - Prosperity through Education".
Our esteemed panel:
Jim Durrell
Jim Durrell is best-known for the significant contribution that he made as Ottawa’s mayor from 1985 until retiring from public life in 1991. Since leaving public office, Jim has been active in the private sector as a successful business executive. Today, Jim is president and owner of Capital Dodge Chrysler Jeep. Jim has had a long time involvement with Ottawa sports franchises, having served as the first president of the Ottawa Senators NHL organization and as the President for the CFL’s Ottawa Rough Riders. He has served as a governor of the Canada Sports Hall of Fame and as President of the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame.
Jim has extensive governance experience having served on the Board of Directors of the Business Development Bank of Canada and as the Chair of the Ottawa International Airport’s Board of Directors. Jim continues to volunteer his time and enthusiasm to numerous charities and organizations in the Ottawa community, such as the Ottawa Hospital, the United Way/Centraide Ottawa Campaign Cabinet, the Salvation Army and the Kiwanis Club of Ottawa for over 30 years. In October 2006, Jim was appointed Chairman of the Ottawa Convention Centre. Jim resides in Ottawa with his wife ‘Sam’ and has two children, Melissa and Michael. Jim’s new passion in life is his grandchildren, Kennedy and Marcus.
Doreen Ashton Wagner
Doreen Ashton Wagner is co-founder of Greenfield Services. She leads our sales and marketing efforts and the client services team of
the company.
Fluent in English and French, Doreen graduated from the University of Ottawa with a BBA in Marketing. Before founding Greenfield Services, Doreen was VP Marketing for The Sutton Place Grande Hotels Group. She also held various sales and marketing positions with Inter-Continental Hotels, Mariposa Cruise Line, Four Seasons Inn on the Park, Park Plaza Hotel Toronto, and Ottawa's Château Laurier.
Doreen has volunteered with numerous industry-related associations, including her current role as Past President of MPI Ottawa Chapter and Trustee of the MPI Foundation Canada. She is a member of the Canadian Society of Association Executives, the University of Ottawa Alumni Association and the Alexandria Women Entrepreneurs. She also taught marketing at Ryerson Polytechnic University's School of Hospitality & Tourism Management in Toronto.
Doreen is an avid scrap-booker and magazine junkie, but as soon as the weather warms you'll find her tending to a one-acre garden at the home she shares with her husband Heinz, their daughter and their two cats.
Joanne Joham, CMP
Joanne Joham, CMP, CMM is the Regional Director North America for ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) and responsible for the exclusive network of ICCA members in Canada, the United States and Mexico. Joanne is presently enjoying her second consecutive term as President of the New Jersey MPI Chapter and is a member of SITE.
In 2009 Joanne received the CMM designation (Certificate in Global Meeting Management) making her one of the select group of 500 CMM’s in the world. She has held her CMP since 2004 and presently serves as the ICCA representative to the CMP Board of Directors and Chair of the CMP Global Study Group Committee. In addition to meeting planning activities, Joanne teaches Meeting and Event Planning Courses on a local and global basis as well as CMP Review Courses and ESL (English as a second language) courses to those in need of learning English for immigration, educational or professional reasons.
Joanne enjoys organizing community outreach events for local charities and is an avid musician and photographer. Her daughter, Kristin, plays French horn on a professional basis with the Spokane, Washington symphony.
